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Trimester 1 · Week 8 of 40

Week 8 of pregnancy: Heartbeat on the Scan

Your booking visit often falls around now: which blood and urine tests to expect and why, plus constipation relief and the feelings early pregnancy brings.

Last updated 28 September 2026

What's happening this week?

The embryo now has paddle-like hands, branching lungs and tiny movements you cannot yet feel, and on a scan its cardiac activity is usually clear. For you, the main event is often the first full antenatal visit, sometimes called the booking visit, with blood and urine tests that set a baseline for the rest of pregnancy. Constipation and changing moods are common at this stage. Bring your questions and a list of your medicines, and mention how you are feeling as well as your physical symptoms.

Baby's development

The hands now look like webbed paddles, with the fingers marked out but still joined, and elbows appear. The lungs, which began as small buds, are branching into the start of the airway tree, a phase called the pseudoglandular stage.

Part of the developing gut grows out into the base of the umbilical cord. This physiological umbilical hernia is a normal step in development, and the intestines move back inside the abdomen at about 11 to 12 weeks.

The first spontaneous movements begin, and from about 7 to 8 weeks they can be seen on an ultrasound as small wriggles. You will not feel movements for many weeks yet; most people first notice them somewhere between 16 and 24 weeks. Bone formation also starts around 8 to 9 weeks, the beginning of a process that continues long after birth.

On a scan the heart's activity is now usually easy to see, although the heart is still dividing into its chambers. Hearing it with the hand-held Doppler used at appointments is usually possible only from about 10 to 12 weeks, and home Doppler devices are not recommended.

Your baby's size

About the size of a kidney bean

1.6 cm

0.6 in · Length

1 g

Weight

Week 8

Gestational age

The 1.6 cm given here falls within the typical range of about 13 to 18 mm from crown to rump at 8 weeks, and some references stretch to about 2.5 cm. On your own scan, this measurement is compared with charts mainly to check or set your due date.

Your body this week

hCG is close to its peak, which comes at about 8 to 11 weeks. Over roughly weeks 8 to 12, the developing placenta takes over progesterone production from the ovary. Your womb is growing but still sits within the pelvis; it usually cannot be felt above the pubic bone until about 12 weeks.

Progesterone contributes to constipation and bloating, which are common now. Your blood volume has begun to rise, and you may still need to pass urine often.

Emotionally, this can be a mixed time. Even a wanted pregnancy can bring worry about miscarriage, money, work or relationships, and tiredness and nausea can make moods swing. Many of these feelings settle, but about 1 in 10 pregnant women develop antenatal depression, and treatment helps. If low mood or anxiety lasts most days for two weeks or more, tell your doctor or midwife.

Symptoms you may notice

Every pregnancy is different - you may have some, all or none of these.

Constipation: Pregnancy hormones slow things down for many people. Fibre, fluids and movement come first; isabgol is considered safe if these are not enough. Avoid straining, and mention any bleeding from the back passage.
Mood swings: Common in the first trimester. Sleep, food and support all help. Low mood or loss of interest lasting two weeks or more is different and deserves a conversation with your doctor.
Nausea: Still near its peak for many people. If it is stopping you from eating or drinking properly, ask about treatment at your booking visit rather than waiting.
Passing urine more often: Normal at this stage. The urine test at your visit also checks for protein and sugar.
Anxiety: Worry is very common before the first tests and scans. Writing your questions down can help you feel more in control.

Medical care and tests

Booking visit
Routine
Within 12 weeks in India; by 10 weeks in the UK
Your doctor, midwife or ANM takes your medical, family and pregnancy history, checks your blood pressure and weight, and plans your care. In India you receive or update your MCP card. The national minimum is four visits: by 12 weeks, at 14 to 26 weeks, at 28 to 34 weeks and from 36 weeks to birth.
Booking blood tests
Routine
At the first visit
These usually include haemoglobin for anaemia, blood group and Rh type, HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B. Infections found now can be treated or managed to protect the baby, and knowing your blood group matters if you are Rh-negative. In the US, hepatitis C is also tested routinely.
First diabetes test
Routine
At first contact, repeated at 24 to 28 weeks
India's national guideline tests every pregnant woman for gestational diabetes at the first visit with a 75 g glucose drink and a blood test two hours later. You do not need to be fasting. If the result is normal, the test is repeated at 24 to 28 weeks.
Urine and thyroid tests
Commonly offered
At the first visit
In India urine is checked for protein and sugar at every visit, and many private clinics also send a urine culture to find hidden infection. The health ministry recommends a thyroid (TSH) test for women with risk factors, but many doctors test everyone at the first visit.

Government health centres provide antenatal check-ups, tests and supplements free of charge, and from the second trimester PMSMA clinics offer a free specialist check-up on the 9th of every month. Tests differ between providers, so follow your own doctor's plan.

Nutrition this week

Fibre helps keep stools soft and regular. Good Indian sources include whole wheat atta, brown rice, ragi, jowar and bajra, dals, chana and rajma, and vegetables eaten with their skins where possible.
Fruit helps too: guava, pear, oranges and ripe papaya are easy additions to breakfast or a mid-morning snack.
Increase fibre gradually and drink more as you do, aiming for more than 2 litres of fluids a day.
Isabgol (psyllium husk) is a bulk-forming fibre considered safe in pregnancy. Stir it into plenty of water and keep it about two hours apart from other medicines.
Avoid laxatives, herbal churnas or detox powders unless your doctor recommends them.

Movement and exercise

Regular walking can help keep your bowels moving and may lift your mood. A short walk after meals is an easy habit to start.
If you were not active before pregnancy, start slowly and build up; you do not need to wait until the second trimester to begin.
Gentle stretches and slow breathing may help you unwind at the end of the day. Avoid breath-holding practices and hot rooms.

Things to keep in mind

Prepare for the booking visit: the date of your last period, previous pregnancies and births, long-term conditions, medicines and supplements, and any family history of diabetes, thalassaemia or other conditions.
It is common to feel unsure, even about a wanted pregnancy. Talking honestly with your partner about worries, money and practical help can make the months ahead easier.
If you are anxious about miscarriage, you are not alone. Early bleeding is often harmless, but it should always be checked the same day.

When to contact your doctor

Call your doctor or midwife the same day if you have

Spotting or bleeding of any amount.
You cannot keep fluids down for about 24 hours, or your urine is dark and scanty.
Burning or stinging when you pass urine, or cloudy, smelly urine.
A high temperature of 38°C or above.
Low mood, anxiety or panic most days for two weeks or more.

Get emergency care now if you have

Heavy bleeding that fills a pad within an hour, or clots.
Pain on one side of the lower tummy with dizziness, fainting or shoulder-tip pain.
Strong, persistent tummy pain.
Thoughts of harming yourself or ending your life.
Fainting, collapse or a fit.

In India, call 108 for an ambulance, 102 for free transport for pregnant women in many states, or 112 for any emergency - or go straight to your nearest hospital with a maternity unit.

If something feels wrong, trust that feeling and call - you never need to wait for your next appointment.

Questions to ask your doctor

Which tests are you doing today, and when will I get the results?
Is my haemoglobin normal, and when will I start iron tablets?
What is my blood group, and does being Rh-negative change my care?
How often will I see you, and who do I call out of hours?
What can I safely take for constipation?

Week 8 checklist

Book or attend your first antenatal visit
Take your medicine list and health history
Collect your MCP card or record book
Write down your due date once it is confirmed
Add a daily fruit and a whole grain for fibre

Frequently asked questions

Can you hear the baby's heartbeat at 8 weeks?

On an ultrasound scan, the heart's activity can usually be seen as a flicker at 8 weeks. Listening with the hand-held Doppler used at appointments usually works only from about 10 to 12 weeks, and sometimes later. Home Doppler devices are not recommended: they can miss a heartbeat and cause needless alarm, and hearing one does not by itself mean all is well.

What happens at the first antenatal visit?

Your doctor or midwife asks about your health, previous pregnancies, medicines and family history, and checks your blood pressure and weight. Blood tests usually include haemoglobin, blood group and screening for HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B; in India a glucose test for diabetes is also done. A urine test checks for protein and sugar. You should leave with a plan for your next visits.

Is it normal to feel low when I expected to feel happy?

Yes. Mixed feelings are very common in early pregnancy, even when it is planned, and tiredness and nausea make them harder. If low mood, loss of interest or anxiety lasts most days for two weeks or more, or stops you coping, tell your doctor or midwife. Antenatal depression affects about 1 in 10 pregnant women and can be treated with options chosen to be safe in pregnancy.

This page is general information, not a diagnosis or a substitute for care from your own doctor or midwife. Pregnancies differ, and timings here are typical ranges rather than deadlines. Read our medical disclaimer and editorial policy.